North Texas Daily

Jason Yang / Senior Staff Writer

Police are investigating an alleged on-campus kidnapping and aggravated sexual assault that was reported last Tuesday, UNT Police Department spokesman John DeLong said.

The male victim told UNT police that he was walking between the Radio, Television and Film and Art buildings at 300 Welch St. at about 7 p.m. Tuesday when a blue four-door sedan with a blue interior pulled up next to him.

The vehicle’s driver and a passenger asked him for directions to Kerr Hall.

The victim willingly got into the car to give directions, according to the police report. The vehicle’s occupants showed the man a knife and covered his eyes before he was taken to a “nearby but remote” location and sexually assaulted.

The victim told police that he was released on the east side of campus.

An Eagle Alert about the reported crime was issued to the UNT community at about 10:30 p.m. that night.

The driver of the vehicle was described as a 6-foot tall, clean-shaven white man in his early 20s with a muscular build, wearing a blue T-shirt, torn blue jeans and brown boots.

The passenger was described as a 5-foot-6-inches, clean-shaven Hispanic male in his early 20s with a stocky build, medium skin color and a very dark fauxhawk hairstyle, wearing an orange T-shirt, blue jeans and blue and white tennis shoes.

DeLong said students should take safety precautions by walking in groups and informing friends or family of their whereabouts.

He urged students to stay in well-lit areas at night and to carry a cell phone or become familiar with the emergency telephones on campus.

Nine UNT crime alerts have been sent out via email since May. This is the first aggravated sexual assault alert.

In May, a student reported an attempted aggravated kidnapping in the Highland Street Parking Garage, but less than a day later admitted to lying to police and making up the story.

Although there were three campus sex offenses reported in 2011, two of the offenses were found to have been falsely reported, DeLong said.

General studies senior Robert Blount walks emergency administration and planning junior Samantha Ross to her car at night. But when he doesn’t, Ross, a commuter, said she doesn’t feel safe at night because she only sees police cars on campus near Apogee Stadium.

“I feel safe because I’m from the military,” Blount said. “But I’ve seen many women walking by themselves at night in dark areas, and they need to be more aware of their surroundings.”

There are 71 emergency call boxes on campus, according to UNT’s website, and bike officers patrol the campus at night.

UNT Transportation Services also operates “e-ride,” which offers students late night mini-bus rides to on-campus locations, including Discovery Park and Victory Hall, between 9 p.m. and 2 a.m., seven days a week.

To contact an e-ride dispatcher, call 940-565-3014.

Police are asking anyone who may have information about the reported offense to contact the UNT Criminal Investigations Division at 940-565-3006, or UNT Crime Stoppers at 940-369-8477.